17.6 million barrels of oil a year On Sep 30, 11:31 am, Hollywood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > mike, > > Anyone considered who much oil is used in the making of plastics? > > On Sep 30, 4:26 am, "mike532 [ Republicans for Obama ]" > > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > America's dirty little oil secret: Plastic Bottles and > > Bags America consumes 31.2 billion > > water bottles a year taking 17.6 million barrels of oil to create > > them. Enough to fuel 1.5 million cars for a year. America consumes 100 > > billion plastic bags a year taking 12 million barrels of oil. World > > figures? 154.3 billion water bottles and 500 billion - 1 trillion > > bags=147.4 - 207.4 million barrels of oil a year. > > > On Sep 30, 5:20 am, "mike532 [ Republicans for Obama ]" > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Editorial > > > No More Plastic > > > Bagshttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/opinion/30tue4.html?th&emc=th > > > Westport, Conn., this month became the latest of a handful of > > > communities to ban some plastic bags. The bags, which have only a > > > brief, useful life, can survive forever in landfills and are of > > > enormous concern to not only environmentalists but local officials who > > > are running out of places to put their trash. > > > > Westport’s ordinance will take effect in six months and applies to > > > bags dispensed at checkout counters. Others, like dry cleaning bags, > > > will be exempted. The aim is to reduce litter and encourage customers > > > to tote their groceries in reusable cloth bags. > > > > The town’s stand is laudable but will have only a limited effect on > > > what is, after all, a statewide problem. The Connecticut Legislature > > > rebuffed a proposed statewide ban last year. Massachusetts and Maine > > > considered similar bans and also backed down. > > > > Americans use and dispose of at least 100 billion bags every year. > > > Although the plastics industry points out that plastic grocery bags > > > are made more from natural gas than petroleum, natural gas is not a > > > renewable resource and contributes to global warming. And about only 5 > > > percent of all plastic bags are recycled nationwide. The rest end up > > > in the trash, hanging in trees or floating in water where they menace > > > marine life. > > > > There are other possible remedies, including a constructive idea that > > > has taken hold in Ireland. In 2002, Ireland became the first country > > > in the world to impose a tax on plastic bags. Use of the bags dropped > > > by 90 percent, and proceeds from the tax went to environmental causes. > > > > If Ireland is any guide, tax laws may have greater impact on human > > > behavior than recycling laws. Tax law could also be written to apply > > > to an entire state, thus eliminating the need for town-by-town bans. > > > > More Articles in Opinion » A version of this article appeared in print > > > on September 30, 2008, on page A26 of the New York edition.- Hide quoted > > > text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
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